Source: Telegraph
Artur Boruc had every right to feel agrieved at Eduardo's Champions League playoff antics
Yes, a glance at his record with Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia suggests that Eduardo is a rare footballing talent, but his goal on Wednesday night could also be attributed to a certain thespian quality. [LNB]To put it kindly, Eduardo went down with extreme ease when he was challenged by Artur Boruc in what proved to be the crucial moment of the match and it was easy to understand the Celtic goalkeeper's furious reaction. [LNB] Related ArticlesArsenal 3 Celtic 1 (agg 5-1)Champions League actionChampions League drawEduardo will fire Arsenal, says WengerFabregas out of Celtic tieCeltic 0 Arsenal 2Eduardo, though, was unfazed by the controversy and, having been roundly abused by much of the Celtic team, he calmly side-footed the penalty beyond Boruc. He then also had the nerve to gesture with his hands around his throat to referee Manuel Gonzalez in apparent protest at Boruc. [LNB]With Arsenal dominant in the match and the tie, it was all rather unsavoury and unnecessary. It also overshadowed Eduardo's first match in European competition since helping Arsenal to eliminate AC Milan from the Champions League 18 months ago. [LNB]With England facing Croatia at Wembley in less than two weeks, Fabio Capello will have been a particularly interested spectator. [LNB]The return of Eduardo has underpinned Wenger's decision not to replace Emmanuel Adebayor and last night provided the 26 year-old with his first chance as the main central striker, a position that assumes importance in the now favoured 4-2-1-3 system. [LNB]"Eduardo was one of the players we missed terribly because he can score goals and provide," Wenger said. "It is a massive season for him because he was out for such a long time. He was out before he could prove what a big player he is." [LNB]A chance to prove what he could do arrived after eight minutes and, having anticipated Boruc's save from Nicklas Bendtner, it was a surprise that he should guide the ball wide with the goal at his mercy. [LNB]Yet while Eduardo's goalscoring instincts are not in doubt, it is questionable whether he has the physical capacity to operate at his best in that position. Indeed, Arsenal improved when Bendtner moved into a more central role and Eduardo could feed off his flicks and darts into the box from the left. [LNB]Even with five changes from the team that beat Portsmouth and Wenger's previous preference for 4-4-2, it would seem that the new fluid formation is here to stay. Much has been made of this tactical switch but it was actually introduced during the second half of last season during a 21-match unbeaten run. [LNB]What's more, the biggest adjustment has been rather more subtle. Arsenal's great emphasis this season is on depriving the opposition time and space. [LNB]Closing down has become just as important as retaining possession. It is something a watching Sir Alex Ferguson will have spotted at the Emirates ahead of their Premier League match on Saturday. [LNB]With the return of Eduardo, he may also have warily noted the added strength in depth of an Arsenal team that have now begun the season with four straight wins and 15 goals.[LNB]
